How Do Bats Land Upside Down?

November 17, 2015 - Bats have the heaviest wings, relative to overall body weight, of any flying animal. So it's long been a puzzle as to how they manage to maneuver so easily in tight spaces, quickly flipping over and coming to rest with their heads pointing downward. Researchers have analyzed the high-speed footage shown in this video and determined that bats use inertia to pull off these aerial acrobatics. Much like figure skaters who use this force to spin faster by bringing their arms closer to their body, bats use inertia at the moment of flipping over, pulling one wing closer to their body while the other is fully extended.

How Do Bats Land Upside Down?

November 17, 2015 - Bats have the heaviest wings, relative to overall body weight, of any flying animal. So it's long been a puzzle as to how they manage to maneuver so easily in tight spaces, quickly flipping over and coming to rest with their heads pointing downward. Researchers have analyzed the high-speed footage shown in this video and determined that bats use inertia to pull off these aerial acrobatics. Much like figure skaters who use this force to spin faster by bringing their arms closer to their body, bats use inertia at the moment of flipping over, pulling one wing closer to their body while the other is fully extended.

How Do Bats Land Upside Down?

November 17, 2015 - Bats have the heaviest wings, relative to overall body weight, of any flying animal. So it's long been a puzzle as to how they manage to maneuver so easily in tight spaces, quickly flipping over and coming to rest with their heads pointing downward. Researchers have analyzed the high-speed footage shown in this video and determined that bats use inertia to pull off these aerial acrobatics. Much like figure skaters who use this force to spin faster by bringing their arms closer to their body, bats use inertia at the moment of flipping over, pulling one wing closer to their body while the other is fully extended.